Mammadyarov: Armenia deliberately aggravated situation before visit of co-chairs and Brussels meeting of foreign ministers

Baku. 17 July. REPORT.AZ/ Armenia seeks to continue its occupation by any means and maintain the status quo.

Report informs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov said in his interview with RIA Novosti.

"The Armenian side continues to resort to various excuses and provocations after the talks of the Presidents in St.Petersburg to prevent the resolution of the conflict through substantive negotiations.

Even to continue serious negotiation process, Armenian side is trying to put forward conditions," Mammadyarov said.

"Since June, Armenia deliberately aggravated the situation before the visit of the co-chairs to the region and the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. On July 4, a two-year-old girl and her grandmother were killed in the village of Alkhanli in Fuzuli region of Azerbaijan and one woman was injured as a result of deliberate attack by the Armenian armed forces. The latest events, including the fighting in April 2016, once again proved that, because of Armenia's refusal to withdraw its armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the region has come face to face with serious dangers", he said.

According to him, Armenia seeks to continue the occupation by any means and maintain the status quo.

"Therefore, appeals such as "this conflict does not have a military solution" and "the parties must show political will" or "the preservation of the ceasefire regime" must be accompanied by demands on Armenia to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan," Azerbaijani diplomat said.